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Mini VP Says New Coupe Will Arrive Next Summer; Roadster Follows in 2012

Published Jun 8, 2010

EL SEGUNDO, California — Mini Vice President Jim McDowell confirmed the arrival of the Mini Coupe and Mini Roadster models at a meeting of the Motor Press Guild here today. The two cars were shown in concept form at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show last fall.

"The Coupe will arrive six months after the Countryman, and the Roadster 12 months after the Countryman," McDowell told journalists during a question-and-answer session following his speech. The Mini Countryman is expected to go on sale in the U.S. next February.

The Mini Coupe Concept is a two-seat, low-windshield version of a standard Mini John Cooper Works. It features the same 211-horspeower turbocharged drivetrain and a similar suspension setup.

The Mini Roadster Concept is essentially an open-top version of the Coupe concept. It features a retractable soft top and a pop-up roll bar. Unlike the more performance-focused coupe, the Roadster Concept uses the engine and chassis from a Mini Cooper S model.

Inside Line says: The Countryman may have strayed from the Mini ideal, but the upcoming Coupe and Roadster are exactly what the company is about: minimalist cars that are fun to drive. Glad we don't have to wait long for them. — Ed Hellwig, Lead